“Hehehe…” “Hahaha…” “Can you find me?” “I’m right here…” Holding the severed head of Divine Dog, Megumi Fushiguro slowly turned toward the dark corridor ahead.
The eerie laughter echoed through the abandoned mansion.
It carried a suffocating malice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Megumi instinctively stepped backward.
Then…
Out of the corner of his eye…
He saw Ronova.
She was sitting comfortably on an old, worn sofa.
Somehow…
She had found an onigiri.
She calmly unwrapped it and took another bite while watching the corridor.
It looked less like she had come to exorcise a cursed spirit…
And more like she was enjoying a horror movie.
Megumi finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“…Ronova.” “This isn’t the time to be eating!” “We’re facing an enemy!” Before he could finish…
The hidden cursed spirit also noticed Ronova.
To it…
Ronova’s casual attitude was nothing less than blatant contempt.
“You…” “You dare ignore me?!” “I’ll kill you!” A shrill scream echoed through the mansion.
An enormous black axe condensed from cursed energy before hurtling toward Ronova.
The air shrieked as it split apart.
Megumi’s expression changed.
Without thinking…
He rushed forward.
He clenched his fist and struck the incoming axe, attempting to deflect it.
Unfortunately…
The difference in strength was overwhelming.
The instant his fist connected— The axe exploded.
Boom!
The violent shockwave shattered his defense and hurled him backward.
Just before he crashed into Ronova…
A slender hand reached out.
It effortlessly caught him.
As though stopping an ordinary pillow rather than a flying person.
Ronova lowered him gently onto the sofa.
Then looked down at him.
“…I knew this would happen.” Honestly…
She shouldn’t have expected much.
The current Megumi was still too inexperienced.
Even so…
She couldn’t deny one thing.
His character was admirable.
He might not be the strongest.
But when danger appeared…
He had stepped in without hesitation.
He was willing to protect his teammates.
Unlike certain people who preferred sacrificing others to survive.
Ronova thought for a moment.
“…Who was that again?” “…No idea.” She answered her own question.
After making sure Megumi wasn’t seriously injured…
Ronova slowly stood.
She looked toward the darkness.
“I really didn’t want to hurt another cursed spirit.” “But…” “You were unbelievably rude.” “I was just quietly watching.” “I wasn’t bothering anyone.” “And then…” “You threw an axe at me.” She paused.
“Oh.” “And you called me ugly.” “That one is absolutely unforgivable.” “I sentence you to death.” The hidden cursed spirit answered with actions instead of words.
Three gigantic cursed-energy axes shot toward Ronova simultaneously, surrounding her from three different directions.
Ronova sighed.
“So stubborn.” Scarlet cursed energy quietly gathered around her right hand.
Unlike ordinary cursed energy…
Its crimson glow resembled fresh blood.
Gradually…
Her entire hand transformed into translucent crimson crystal.
Then…
She lightly extended one finger.
Tap.
The three axes instantly disintegrated.
Not shattered.
Not destroyed.
They simply…
Ceased to exist.
Their existence had died.
The barrier surrounding the mansion also began collapsing.
Large cracks spread through every wall.
The oppressive atmosphere rapidly disappeared.
Ronova looked toward the deepest corner of the corridor.
She smiled gently.
“Goodbye…” “Miss Sadako.” She knew the cursed spirit’s name because she had found an old diary while wandering through the mansion earlier.
The diary told the tragic story of the woman who had died there.
It no longer mattered now.
Ronova quietly activated her innate technique.
All Things Die.
There were no explosions.
No dazzling light.
No dramatic display of cursed energy.
Death arrived silently.
The Grade 1 cursed spirit…
Miss Sadako…
Didn’t even have time to scream.
The concept of her existence simply vanished.
Like a candle being quietly extinguished.
Standing nearby…
Megumi watched the entire scene.
His breathing unconsciously stopped.
Ronova’s usual demeanor was gentle.
Calm.
Even slightly absent-minded.
Yet…
The moment she fought…
Everything changed.
The overwhelming aura surrounding her made it difficult to even breathe.
She wasn’t simply powerful.
She resembled death itself.
A beautiful figure calmly walking through the end of all things.
For the first time…
Megumi truly understood why Gojo regarded her as someone so dangerous.
As Sadako disappeared…
Ronova felt another surge of cursed energy flow into her body.
This time…
The increase was substantial.
Far greater than witnessing the deaths of ordinary people.
The death of a powerful cursed spirit provided tremendous nourishment.
Before she could properly examine the change…
Someone applauded softly.
“How frightening.” Gojo Satoru emerged from the shadows with his usual carefree smile.
“Miss Ronova…” “Your technique really is terrifying.” No matter how many times he witnessed it…
He still found All Things Die deeply unsettling.
Even someone as strong as Gojo instinctively felt danger whenever she used it.
It wasn’t fear of losing.
Rather…
It was the instinctive discomfort of witnessing an ability that fundamentally violated common sense.
If even Gojo felt that way…
Megumi’s reaction was naturally much stronger.
He looked at Ronova as though seeing her for the first time.
Technically…
She was a cursed spirit.
So perhaps…
Seeing a ghost wasn’t an entirely inaccurate description.
Gojo picked up the old diary Ronova had found.
After reading through it…
He quietly sighed.
“Sadako…” “She really was unfortunate.” According to the diary…
She had believed she found someone she could spend her life with.
Instead…
She married an abusive husband.
Day after day…
She endured beatings.
Insults.
Humiliation.
Eventually…
He murdered her with an axe inside this very house.
After her death…
Her overwhelming resentment gave birth to the cursed spirit known as Miss Sadako.
The mansion had become her prison.
A place where she endlessly repeated her hatred.
Gojo closed the diary.
He had witnessed countless tragedies throughout his life.
As painful as Sadako’s story was…
He could only quietly accept it.
Megumi, however…
Remained silent.
Her story lingered in his mind long after the battle had ended.
“Alright.” Gojo clapped his hands.
“The mission’s over.” “Let’s celebrate.” “I’ll treat you both to dinner.” “What do you want to eat?” Ronova answered immediately.
“Barbecue.” “I want lots of beef.” Even after becoming a cursed spirit…
Her love of grilled meat hadn’t changed.
Gojo laughed.
“Sounds good.” He turned toward Megumi.
“And you?” Megumi nodded.
“That’s fine.” With that…
The three of them left the abandoned mansion together.
As they walked toward the barbecue restaurant…
Megumi kept glancing at Ronova.
Only minutes earlier…
She had radiated an overwhelming presence that resembled death incarnate.
Now…
She was arguing with Gojo over who would get the first plate of beef.
The contrast was so extreme that it almost felt unreal.
…Is she really the same person?
For the first time…
Megumi realized that understanding Ronova might be far more difficult than defeating any cursed spirit.